Let Your Light Shine

“Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven” (Mt. 5:16).

            If I had a Twitter account (which I don’t), I would invite you to post things there under the hash tag, #LetYourLightShine.  I would do this in order to find out all of the different ways in which so many of you live out your baptismal covenant.  However, even if I were to do this, I suspect that some of you might be reluctant to tweet out your light-shining activities.  After all, we’re not supposed to blow our own horns.  We’re not supposed to point to ourselves, but rather to point to Jesus.

            This is where it’s important to realize the reason why we are to let our lights shine in the first place.  It is not so that others will think what great people we are.  Rather, it is so that others will see our good works, and give glory to our Father in heaven.  The purpose of letting the light of Christ shine in and through us is so that others will give glory to God!

            And so, I’d like to praise and give glory to God for some of the ways that I already know you let your lights shine.  I praise God for those of you who stop to help out whenever you see somebody in need.  I praise God for those of you who live out your faith every day through your work.  I praise God for those of you who practice hospitality to strangers and to refugees, and who work to feed the hungry.

            I praise God for those of you who give to others even when you are not feeling well yourselves.  I praise God for those of you who use your time and talents in order to teach, or to visit those who are lonely, or to ensure that this congregation continues to be engaged in ministry.  I praise God for those of you who treat others with warmth and humour in order to let them know that they matter and that they are welcome.

            I praise God for those of you who inspire others through music, or through art, or through writing.  I praise God for those of you who recognize and welcome the gifts of youth and children.  I praise God for those of you who use your gifts in order to provide for others – whether food or warm clothing or needed repairs.  I praise God for those of you who willingly offer assistance whenever and wherever it is needed.

            As I am pretty sure that there are things that I have missed here, I’d like to suggest an even better Twitter feed.  Really you shouldn’t be tweeting out what you have done to let your light shine, but what you’ve seen others do.  In fact, perhaps you could actually tell me some of the ways in which you have seen the light of Christ at work in the world through another person!

            After all, believe it or not, God continues to work in the world through people just like you and me.  Just as God became “enfleshed,” or incarnate, in Jesus, God continues to dwell within his fragile, but well-beloved human creation.

            And so, continue to let your light shine.  Live in such a way that others will see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.  “You are the light of the world” (Mt. 5:14).  May others meet Christ in you, and may you meet Christ in me.

                        In Christ,

                        Pastor Lynne Hutchison